Technofile: It's shaping up to be a satellite navigation Christmas as models flood the market and prices start to come down with mass adoption. The latest on the block is the Nav-Cam 7700 from Evesham, which comes with a useful 256Mb of internal memory and navigation software bundled in, along with the usual 2D and 3D maps, voice instructions, a 3.5-inch screen, SD Card slot, USB sync cable, car charger and windscreen mount. See Evesham.com.
• If you're looking for some portable speakers to stuff the odd stocking, the Creative TravelSound Zen V speakers may do the job. Twinned with the Creative PlayDock Z500, the speaker system is designed for use with Creatives Zen V, Zen V Plus and Zen Vision:M players. The dock powers the players, and any TV or audio output devices and has an FM antenna. Docks like this are handy for portable media players as they extend the play time. See Creative.com.
• Nintendo's new gaming console, the oddly named Wii, launched in the US this week. Cleverly, Nintendo has positioned the platform not against the pitbulls of the XBox and PlayStaion 3, but as an additional "fun" console, offering a different kind of gaming experience. Users will be able to dance around their living rooms, boxing and playing golf, for instance. But one question remained unanswered - will there be a version for high-definition TVs and one with a DVD player?
It looks like the latter has been confirmed for next year, and high-definition looks likely to come into play when hardware costs come down in a year's time.
• Speaking of media players, Microsoft's Zune hit US stores last week and it may not be an iPod killer after all, judging by the fairly muted reaction. The player costs about the same as the 30GB iPod, but additionally sports Wi-Fi. There have been good reports about the sound quality, large screen size, FM radio and general day to day workings of the Zune.
However, battery life and the limitations on the kinds of files it will play have been criticised by early buyers. Furthermore, although it has Wi-Fi, Microsoft's almost clinical obsession with copyright means actually trying to share a song over the wireless connection with another user is not quite the free and easy experience it's marketed as.
Plus, these shared files will only play for three days. Let's hope it improves when it's launched here, though they'll have plenty of time to get it right: late 2007 or even 2008 has been floated.
• Meanwhile, Apple is not sitting around twiddling its thumbs. It has reportedly ordered 12 million Apple-designed mobiles from a Taiwanese manufacturer which also happens to make Mac minis, iPods and Motorola mobiles. Set to be unleashed early next year, the fabled iPhone should have iTunes capability but beyond that, your guess is as good as mine. However, there are plenty of unofficial artists' impressions online, most of which look like an iPod Nano with a mobile keyboard added, predictably enough.
